LEO 1; Suspect 0

This is a discussion on LEO 1; Suspect 0 within the In the News: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly forums, part of the The Back Porch category; Suspect shot in Friday break-in - Maryville, MO - Maryville Daily Forum
Suspect shot in Friday break-in
By Connie Goff & Megan Crawford
Maryville Daily ...

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Maryville, Mo. -
A suspect is in custody in the Nodaway County Jail following a shooting west of Maryville involving local law enforcement officers.

Law enforcement received a call at approximately 9:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 13, that a suspicious person had been seen running between residences on North Icon Road.

According to Sgt. Sheldon A. Lyon of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, two Highway patrolmen arrived at the location, joined by two Maryville Public Safety officers and Nodaway County Sheriff Darren White.

Richard E. Helm, 44, California, had broken into a residence from the garage and went into the kitchen area. When officers entered the residence from the garage the suspect was standing in the kitchen holding what officers thought to be a single shot rifle — later deemed to be a BB gun.

A trooper repeatedly ordered him to drop the weapon, but the suspect instead raised the gun toward the officers. The trooper, fearing for his life and the lives of the other officers, fired his service weapon, striking the suspect in the right arm. The suspect was secured and transferred by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital.

White said he and members of the MSHP had spoken to Helm Thursday after he was seen walking along Highway 71. Since he had committed no known crime, he was not taken into custody at that time.

Nodaway County Prosecuting Attorney David Baird charged Helm with assault in the second degree early Friday afternoon. The charge alleges Helm attempted to cause physical injury to a law enforcement officer by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. The felony complaint also alleges Helm pointed a firearm at the officer and refused to drop the weapon on command from the officers on the scene, pointing the weapon at the officer.

Helm remains in the custody of the Nodaway County Sheriff's Department. Baird said additional charges could be filed once the final reports regarding the investigation are received.

The trooper involved in the shooting has been placed on routine administrative leave pending completion of the investigation.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control is investigating the shooting.